London Catalan Festival 2019

Mélodie Gimard ‘Numen’

Mélodie Gimard is a French pianist, composer and arranger living and working in Barcelona. Her compositions and improvisations are uniquely characterised by her studies in classical piano and flamenco. The creativity and virtuosity of this young pianist are clear, both in her musical arrangements and in the sensitivity of her touch. Numen is an original project that blends flamenco with jazz and classical music. Coming from the latin word meaning “spiritual presence”, Numen represents freedom of expression. It also means inspiration. Places, words, people... anything can become numen. In this project Mel Gimard translates into music different numen that have inspired her, telling her own story whilst drawing from the flamenco tradition and its language seen from a new angle. For this show, Melodie and the band will feature the London based multi-award winning Cuban trumpet player Yelfris Valdés.

Mélodie Gimard is a French pianist, composer and arranger living and working in Barcelona. Her compositions and improvisations are uniquely characterised by her studies in classical piano and flamenco. The creativity and virtuosity of this young pianist are clear, both in her musical arrangements and in the sensitivity of her touch.

Gimard is a founding member of the Pescaitos Flamenco Quartet and Trio Zuloaga and she is currently recording her debut album Numen.

Despite her youth, she has also served as Musical Director for a number of shows in various national and international festivals such as the Semaine Flamenco festival in France and the Malaga Biennial, sharing the stage with artists such as Miguel de la Tolea, Carlos Sarduy, Moise?s Navarro and Jose Manuel A?lvarez.

Numen is an original project that blends flamenco with jazz and classical music. Coming from the latin word meaning “spiritual presence”, Numen represents freedom of expression. It also means inspiration. Places, words, people... anything can become numen. In this project Mel Gimard translates into music different numen that have inspired her, telling her own story whilst drawing from the flamenco tradition and its language seen from a new angle. In her compositions, we find influences from both traditional and contemporary flamenco. El Chozas de Jerez, Manolo Caracol, Moraito, Bebo Valde?s, Ibrahim Maalouf and Tigran Hamasyan are part of the varied creative numen of Mel Gimard.

SPECIAL GUEST

Multi-award winning Cuban trumpet player Yelfris Valdés will be bringing his critically acclaimed and profoundly spiritual new album The World of Eshú Diná: a fusion of soundscapes, jazz and Afro-Cuban traditions, all treated as a sacred ritual where he is the messenger that will take the audience into a safe holistic journey, musically and spiritually. Yelfris became known across the world playing with Sierra Maestra, with which he earned a Grammy nomination. Since his move to London, he has shared the stage with the likes of Yussef Kamaal, Roberto Fonseca and Charlie Hunter. His musical mission is to build bridges between Cuban traditions, jazz and modern sounds.